The microscope can view a sample of up to 25 mm in diameter and 30-mm tall and takes approximately 30 sec to load a sample. When a user finds an appropriate magnification he can capture it as a JPG or TIF image file at a resolution of 456 x 456, 684 x 684, 1024 x 1024 or 2048 x 2048 pixels. Once the images have been captured, they can be stored on a USB Flash drive.

According to FEI, the interface of the Phenom is intuitive; it’s primarily touch-screen based but also has a navigation knob for zooming. “It acts and works much more simply than a traditional SEM,” says Dan Zenka, director of brand management and public relations. “We’ve had 9- and 10-year-olds walk up to it and know what to do.”

The Phenom uses the optical portion of the microscope for lower magnifications, and also keeps an optical representation on the screen at all times as an index. This optical thumbnail “gives them a point of reference,” says Zenka. “Once you get past optical magnification it links to SEM mode.”

The Phenom is the size of a desktop computer but considerably heavier at over 120 lbs. Apart from the main console, it comes with a 15-inch, touch-screen monitor, rotary knob navigation tool, diaphragm, vacuum pump, power supply and 128-Mbyte USB 2.0 Flash drive.

Priced at only $72,000, compared to more expensive SEMs priced at $200,000, FEI claims that the Phenom microscope bridges the price and performance gap between optical and scanning electron microscopy. This accessible price makes the Phenom an option for a broader base of users, including start-up biotechs and academic institutions. The Phenom has been partially funded by ONAMI and a European Union stimulus grant.

The complete Phenom microscope, including touch-screen monitor and rotary knob

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